Donati, who used to play with Immobile in Italy's under-21 side and who joined Bayer Leverkusen last summer, believes it would be the right move for Immobile to make.

"It would be a fantastic stage for him," Donati told Sky Sport Italia. "They play spectacular football here with the striker always at the centre of the attention and Ciro could find the room he needs. The Bundesliga could be his natural habitat."

Donati does not regret having made the move from Inter Milan to Leverkusen last summer, and was joined on the trip north by Luca Caldirola, who made the move to Werder Bremen.

"I've settled really well," added the 24-year-old. "It's not all that tactical here. It's more about possession and technical work. I've turned into a full-back who pushes forwards whereas in Italy usually the full-back concentrates more on defending.

"What surprised me the most here is that, even when you are winning, teams carry on attacking, even risking conceding two goals or losing."

That would be a perfect situation for Immobile, who is owned in equal measures by both Turin clubs Juventus and Torino.

The two Italian clubs appear to have agreed on the sale of the Italy international to Dortmund, just as long as the Bundesliga side make a satisfactory offer.

Dortmund are on the lookout for a new striker to replace Robert Lewandowski, who will move to Bayern Munich on a free transfer this summer, and Immobile says it would be an honour to replace the Poland forward at the Westfalenstadion.

"I'm ambitious and after a season in which I've played so well, it's only natural to aim very high," he said on Wednesday. "I admit I'd like to play in the Champions League now. Borussia Dortmund are a huge club and the idea of replacing Lewandowski really appeals to me."